Theses on the Dictatorship of the Proletariat
3. Темы о диктатуре пролетариата
Date: 1919
Source: ru:PSS/v39
Translated by: AI (Claude)

1. The dictatorship of the proletariat is a continuation of the class struggle (in a new form).

2. The state = only an instrument in it.

3. The form of this instrument cannot be the old one. In particular, formal equality cannot be the form of struggle for material equality, against actual inequality.

4. Two basic lines (or forms or types) of class struggle under the dictatorship of the proletariat:

5. A) suppression of the exploiters. = War more ruthless than others.

6. B) "neutralization" of middle elements, petty bourgeoisie, peasantry. Neutralization consists of persuasion, example, instruction by experience, suppression of deviations by violence, etc.

7. C) subordinating the hostile for positive work ("specialists").

8. [ + D) Education in new discipline. ]

9. Dictatorship vs democracy. Dictatorship is a negation of democracy (in general). The dictatorship of the oppressed class is a negation of democracy for the oppressing class, an expansion of it for the oppressed.

10. Democracy, concretely, =

11. α) equality of all citizens before the law. – There cannot be equality with the exploiter during his overthrow.

12. β) political freedom for all citizens. – There cannot be political freedom for exploiters.

13. γ) decision by the majority of all citizens. – No: except exploiters and contrary to the vacillating.

14. Decision by voting, such is the essence of peaceful or pure democracy. In reality, by money under bourgeois democracy. By class struggle, civil war in liberation from capital, in the overthrow of capital.

15. One class leads, under capitalism, the class struggle with capital. Idem in its continuation in the form of the dictatorship of the proletariat. The petty bourgeoisie – "insofar as" (cf. "Communist Manifesto").

16. Decision by voting, i.e., by formal expression of will while preserving capitalist determinants (motivations) of will = bourgeois democracy. Decision by class struggle and civil war against exploiters = proletarian democracy. The proletariat by its struggle, revolutionary struggle destroys capitalist relations of property, ergo, capitalist determinants (and motivations) of will and decision for the vacillating.

17. Decision by voting = all are equal, "not counting" money, capital, private property. Decision by class struggle and civil war: first destroy the oppression of money, capital, private property, then vote without exploiters. In the measure of the first – the second. In connection with the successes of the first – the second.

18. Decision by voting to the end would be possible with universal good faith (ergo, already in a classless society), in the absence of resistance by exploiters. = Utopia of reformism.

19. Democracy under the dictatorship of the proletariat: congresses, assemblies, local self-government, decision by the will of the working people, religion, women, oppressed nations: "Heaven and earth." Teaching the working people to do without capitalists = democracy under the dictatorship of the proletariat.

20. Deception of the working people by formal equality while preserving oppression, yoke, slavery of capitalism = bourgeois democracy.

21. The dictatorship of the proletariat is the instruction of all working people by one class, the proletariat, idem leadership. To lead. The ruling class = the proletariat, one. Rule excludes freedom and equality.

22. The peasantry as working people = ally; as proprietors and speculators = enemy. "Insofar as." This is not voting, but the course of revolution, the course of civil war, its lessons, its result.

23. The proletariat not in general, not in abstracto, but in the 20th century, after the imperialist war. The split with the upper strata is inevitable. Bypassing the concrete, deception by abstractions. (Dialectics vs eclecticism.)

24. Engels 1852 on England. 1852-1892. Cf. 1914-1919. Dictatorship of the proletariat = overthrow of its opportunist upper strata, transition from the aristocracy of the working class to the mass, "struggle for influence." Not without a split.

25. Soviets = proletarian democracy = dictatorship of the proletariat. Workers and peasants in the Soviet constitution. "Equality of labor democracy." § 23 of the Constitution. "Dictatorship of one party."

26. The resistance of exploiters begins before their overthrow and intensifies with overthrow. Sharpening of the struggle from 2 sides or evasion of struggle (Kautsky).

27. There was a time (etwa 1871-1914) when it was necessary to develop the backward by universal suffrage, without revolution (+ strikes etc). – The time of revolutions has come (1917-), when the course of the proletarian revolution develops it by its civil war.

28. Developed proletariat and "moderne Barbaren" [modern barbarians]. Experience of revolution. To carry away and direct. Authority of the revolutionary proletariat among the working people.

29. The vacillating and weary vs the proletariat.

30. Imperialism = coarsening of capitalism, its decay, military power over the backward. (Cf. Hobson and my "Imperialism.")

31. Transformation of imperialist war into civil war. Marx 1870: will teach how to wield weapons. Cf. Kautsky 1914-1918.

32. "Majority"? 51% (αα) of the proletariat is less than 20% (ββ) of the proletariat, if in αα there is more imperialist infection and resistance of the petty bourgeoisie.

33. "One reactionary mass."

NB Engels 1875. Relation to the Commune and to the entire dictatorship of the proletariat.

Four main sections (A, B, C, D); ABC – general; D – "Russian."

D. Dictatorship of the proletariat and the Soviet constitution (25).

§ 9. Dictatorship vs democracy ("Pure democracy").

Allgemeines [General matters]

10. (α) Equality (11).

11. (β) Political freedom (12)

12. (γ) and freedom in general.

13. (δ) Decision by majority (13)

by voting.

14. Its condition equality

15. good faith

16. deception

17. bureaucratism.

18. Dictatorship of the bourgeoisie.

19. Decision by struggle in the most acute forms (16).

20. Majority and force (32).

21. Successes of democratism (19).

Manuscript by V. I. Lenin "Plan for a Pamphlet on the Dictatorship of the Proletariat." – 1919.